Printing press



July 19, 1932. 5. J. MOLLET ,867,860

PRINTING PRESS Original Filed Feb. 28, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR S M A.

M? m a," ATTORNEY S. J. MOLLET PRINTING PRESS July 19, 1932.

Original Filed Feb. 28, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet '2 um km INVENTOR 5, Q Mm BY v-umq hw v ATTORNEY July 19, 1932. 5 MQLLET 1,867,860

PRINTING PRESS Original Filed Feb. 28, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 w-ZZZ 124' $11211 I] 58 40 1. 45

9 123 INVENTOR 39 BY 3' W i' 'a/ ATTORN EY Patented July 19, 1932 UNITED STATES SAMUEL J. MOLLET, OF MASSILLON, OHIO PRINTING rnnss Original application filed February 28, 1929, Serial No. 343,523. Divided and this application filed. June 27, 1980. Serial No. 464,277. 7

This invention relates to printing presses adapted for printing large signs such as employed for roadside advertising purposes, and more particularly to a printing press having means for rapidly and accurately printing upon a surface of large area and having means independent of the printing cylinders for feeding large sheets or plates between the printing cylinders and delivering them from the machine.

The present invention is a division of my copending application Serial No. 343,523, filed Feb. 28, 1929, for a printing press, the present invention having for its object to provide means by which the printing operation may be instantly discontinued at any time during the passage of a sheet or plate between the printing cylinders.

The present invention also has for an object to provide means for shifting one of the cylinders away from the other to discontinue the printing operation and to simultaneously discontinue the inking of the form cylinder.

A further object is to provide means for disconnecting the inking mechanism from the form cylinder independently of the shifting of the form cylinder, so that the printing and inking operations may be controlled independently when desired.

It is the aim of the present invention to provide conveniently accessible means which can be quickly and easily operated to shift the cylinder and inking mechanism or for shifting the inking mechanism independently 5 of the cylinder.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention may be said to comprise the machine as illustrated in the accompanying drawings hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the appended claims, together with such variations and modifications thereof as will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention appertains. Y

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which:

Figure 1 is perspective view of the printing press embodying the invention, looking toward the feed-in end thereof.

cated at 4:4L in Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

- Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line indi'-' cated at 5-5 in Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the treadle by means of which the form cylinder may be shifted out of engagement with the compression cylinder, together with the retaining latch for holding the treadle in its lower position.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the inking mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on dicated at 88 in Fig. 7, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow. I

Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line indicated at 99 in Figure 8.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 9 showing the parts in difierent position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the main elements of the machine of the present invention are an elongated table 1, along which the sheets are moved during the printing operation, a form cylinder 2 above the level at which the sheets are supported and a compression cylinder 3 immediately beneath the form cylinder, the two cylinders being supported one above the other between suitable standards 4.

The sheets are fed through the printing cylinders by means of conveyor chains 5 which are supported at opposite sides of the table in horizontal guides 6 which are disposed at the level of the bight of the cylinders. A roller table 7 is placed at thefront end of the conveyor table 1 and has rollers'positioned at the level of the chains so that sheets may be pushed along a table 7 to'position' the line inerally by the numeral 8 are supported by the chains and extend across the space between the chains and in order to enable the gripper devices to pass between the cylinders, the gripper devices are spaced apart a distance equal to the circumference of the compression cylinder and the compression cylinder has an axially extending perioheral recess 9 in which the gripper suppor ing bars are positioned during their passage betweenthe cylinders.

Go-operating with the gripper devices, there is a stop device indicated generally by the numeral 10, which is positioned immediately in front of the printing cylinders and which serves to position each sheet as it is fed to the machine for engagement by the grippers. During the printing operation, the sheets are moved in a straight line at the peripheral speed of the form cylinderfrom the front to the rear end of the table 1, the ink or paint being transferred from the'form on the form cylinder to the surface of the sheet as the sheet passes between the cylinders.

The present invention resides in various features of construction and various mechanisms employed by which the machine is e11- abled to rapidly and accurately print upon flat surfaces of large size.

The form cylinder 2 is mounted upon a transverse shaft 11 and consists of a cylindrical body portion 12 formed of wood mounted'upona plurality of spiders 13 on the shaft 11. The spiders are preferably formed in two halves and have the mating hub portions 14 thereof clamped together upon the shaft 11. Discs 15 are keyed to the shaft 11 beyond the ends of the cylinders 2 and a pair of large gear wheels 16 are connected to the discs 15 by means of bolts 17 which pass through arcuate slots 18 in the discs. By loosening the bolts 17, the cylinder may be adjusted angularly with respect to the gear wheels so as to accurately register the form with the surface to be printed upon. The peripheral portion of the cylinder 2 has a recess or gap 19 extending from one end of the cylinder to the other which registers with the recess 9 of the compression cylinder 3 during the rotation of the cylinders.

Upon the periphery of the cylinder 2, there is secured a form 20' preferably composed of a rubber composition secured to the cylinder at one end by suitable means.

-Any suitable letters and designs may be formed in intaglio on the form 20, as indicated at 21 in Fig. 1. The ink orv paint is applied to the smooth surface of the form around the recessed portions, coating the sheet on all portions of its surface which 60- contact with the cylinder except those portions which register with the recessed letters, characters or designs on the form. I

I The printing cylinders and the conveyor chains have a common drive which is shown in Fig.2 of the drawings. Fixed to the shaft of the compression cylinder 3, and positioned beneath the gear wheels 16, are gear wheels 22 which mesh with the gear wheels 16. The pitch circles of the gear wheels 16 and 22 coincide with the cylindrical surfaces of the cylinders so that the cylinders rotate with equal peripheral speeds.

In order to feed the sheets between the cylinders at a speed equal to the peripheral speeds of the cylinders, the conveyor chains 5 must be driven at a speed equal to the peripheral speed of the cylinders. The conveyor chains are supported at the front and rear ends of the table b means of sprockets 23 and 24 which support the chains in aline ment with the guides 6. The lower runs of the chains 5 are below the comcression cylinder 3, the chains being guided over the sprockets 25 and 26 positioned to the front and rear of the cylinder 3.

The cylinders and conveyor chains are driven from an electric motor 27 to the shaft 28 of which is fixed a pulley 29 which drives a belt 30 extending over the pulley 31 fixed to a short longitudinal haft 32 which operates. suitable reduction gearing in the gear casing 33 which drives a transverse shaft 34, which has fixed thereto adjacent its end gears 35 which mesh with the-gears 22. The gears 35 also mesh with gears 36 fixed to a transverse shaft 37 to which'the sprockets 26 are attached. The gears 22, 35 and 36 are so pro portioned that the conveyor chains are driven at a linear speed equal to the peripheral speed, of the printing cylinders.

The inking mechanism which applies a uniform coating. of ink or paint to the surface of the form 20 is mounted for movement bodily toward and away from the rear side of the cylinder 2 and is supported on a carriage 38 which is mounted for sliding movement upon supporting brackets 39 which are attached to the rear edges of the standards 4. Each of the brackets 39 has a horizontal guideway 40 which extends in a direction longitudinally of the table 1 and the carriage 38 is movable between stop shoulders 41 formed by the I rear edgesof the standards 4 projecting above the brackets 39 and shoulders 42 the rear ends of the brackets, the carriage being pressed toward and normally held against the shoulders 41 by means of coil springs 43 interposed between the shoulders 42 and the rear end of the carriage. A supporting frame 44 for the inking mechanism is adjustably mounted upon. the carriage 38, the frame 44 being slidable on the carriage 38 between front and rear stop shoulders 45 and 46 and being adjustable by means of front d rear screws 47 adjustable in the frame 44 and having rounded heads 48 engageable with the shoulders 45 and 46.

The heads 48 are adapted to receive a suitable tool for turning the screws and,

by adjusting the screws, the frame 44 may be adjusted forwardly or rearwardly on the carriage 38. Journaled'in the'frame 44 adj acent the front end thereof, there is a transverse shaft 49 which is in horizontal alinement with the shaft ll supporting the form cylinder. The shaft 49 carries an inking roller 50, the surface of which lies closely adjacent tothe surface of theform on a cylinder 2; The shaft 49 also has fixed thereto gears 51which mesh with the large gears 16 of the form cylinder. The pitch circles of the gears 16 coincide with the cylindrical surface of the 'form and the pitch circles of the gears 51 coincide with the cylindrical surface of the roller so that the peripheral speed of the roller 50 is equal to the pe ripheral speed of the form cylinder. Adjacent the top thereof, frame 44 has horizontal slots 52 forming guideways at the ends thereof and in these guideways are slidably mounted bearing blocks 53 which are pressed rearwardly by compression coil springs 54 which are interposed between the frame 44 and the forward faces of the bloc rs. The rear faces of the blocks are engaged by the forward ends of screws 55 which have threaded engagement in openings in the frame 44 and these screws are provided at their rear ends with hand wheels 56 bymeans of which the screws may be advanced to move the blocks 53 forwardly in opposition to the springs 54. A transverse shaft 57 is journaled in the bearing blocks 53 and this shaft carries a roller 58 which co-operates with the roller 50, the roller 58 serving to apply a coating of ink or paint to the surface of the roller 50 which in turn applies a coating to the form 20. In the ends of the frame 44 above the shaft 57, there are mounted short shafts 59 which support scrapers 60 which engage the shoulders of the roller 58 to remove any paint or ink thereon.

Beneath the slots are horizontal guide slots 61 in which are slidably mounted bearing blocks 62, the front faces of which .bear against compression coil springs 60 seated in the frame 44 and the rear faces of which are engaged by the forward ends of screws 64 which are provided at their rear ends with hand wheels '65. By adjusting the screws 64, the bearing blocks 62 may be adjusted toward or from the forward ends of the slots 61. Journaled in the bearing blocks 62, there is a transverse shaft 66 whi h car ries a roller 67 which co-operates with the roller 58 to apply a coating of ink or paint thereto. Gears 68 fixed to the shaft 57 mesh with the gears 51 on the shaft 4.) and gears 69 fixed to the shaft 66 mesh with the gears 68 on the shaft 57. The pitch circ of the gears 68 and 69 coincide with the cylindrical surfaces of the rollers 58 and 67, so that the peripheral speed of the three ink lng rollers 50, 58 and 66 are equal. The lower portion of the roller 67 dips into paint or ink contained in a pan 70 supported beneath the roller, a portion of this painter ink adheres to the surface of the roller 67, which applies a coating to the roller '58, which applies a coating to the roller 50, which in turncoats the formon the cylinder 2.

It will be apparent that tie clearance between the surface of the form 20 andthe surface of the roller 50 may be adjusted by means of the screws 47, that the clearance between the roller 58 and the roller 50 may be adjusted by the screws 55 and that the clearance between the rollers 67 and58 may be adjusted by means of the screws 64. The thickness of the coating transferred from one roller to the next and from the large roller 50 to the form 20 is" dependent upon the amount'of clearance between the rollers and by means of the adjustments provided by the screws 47, 55 and 64, a very uniform coating may be applied to each of the rollers and to the form and the thickness of carry latch pins 76 which'are yieldingly pressed downwardly by springs 77 and which engage in socketsformed in the frame 44 to hold the blocks 73 in supporting position.

By releasing the latch pins'76, the blocks 73 may be swung outwardly from beneath the cross bar 71 to permit the panto be lowered and removed from the frame. The ink pan may thusbe quickly and easily removed whenever it-is des red to clean or replace the pan as, for instance, when an ink or paint of a different color is to be employed. desired, several pans may be providedv and one pan substituted. for another when desired. l a In order to enable the operator to instantly stop' the printing operation, as-for instance, when the sheet being printed upon is mis: alined with respect'to the form, mechanism is provided for shifting the form cylinder out of printing position and means is also provided by which the inking mechanism. may be simultaneously rendered inoperative.

As shown i11;Fig. 3, the shaft 11 of the form cylinder 2'. is journ'aledat its ends in bearing blocks 78 which. are slid'ably mounted in vertically disposed guide openings or bearing windows 79 in theside-standards 4. Each of the bearing blocks 78 is provided with a tubular internallythreaded extension tion therein.v The lower end 82 of each supporting rod 81 is threaded and extends into an internally threaded tubular extension 83 of an eccentric member 84 which is'supported upon an eccentric 85. Each of the eccentrics.

85 is rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 86 which is clamped to a plate 87 secured to the standard 4. The supporting rod 81 has a lock nut 88 thereon which engages with the upper end of the tubularextension 83 of the eccentric member to secure therod in adjusted position with respect to the eccentric member. Coil springs 89 are interposed between a washer 90 seated on the bottom of each of the bearing windows 79 and a nut 91 on the upper threaded end portion of the supporting rods 81. The coil springs 89 are of .suilicient strength to support the major portion of the weight of the form cylinder 2 and the tension of these springs may be adj usted'by adjusting the nuts 91. 1

"The lifting of the form cylinder out of printing position is accomplished by rotating the eccentrics 85 and to accomplish this rotation, each of the eccentrics 85 has formed integrally therewith a gear 92 which is operated by means of a gear segment 93 in'mesh therewith. The gear segments 93 are formed on the rear ends of levers 94 which are pivoted at 95 to the standards 4 on opposite sides of the machine. The lever 95 has an upwardly extending arm 96 to the upper end of which is pivoted a rod 97 whichextends forwardly from the arm through an opening in a vertical flange 98- of a bracket 99'attached to the side standard 4.

a The rod 97 is guided for endwise movement in the'flange98 and the arm 96 is normally held in its forward limit of movement by a coil spring 100 which is interposed between the flange 98 and the shoulder 101 formed on the rod 97 near the rear end thereof. The spring 100 serves to normally hold the segment 93 in its lowermost position in which position the eccentric 85 is in a position-to hold the form cylinder 2 in printing position. The pivots 95 are'located intermediate the ends of the levers 94 and'the forward ends of the levers are adjacent the forward edges of the standards 4. To the forward ends of the levers 94 are pivoted downwardly extending links 102 which are pivoted at their lower ends to arms 103 fixed to a trans verse rock shaft 104 journaledin the standards 4. Adjacent the ends thereof, the shaft 104 has fixed thereto forwardly extending arms 105 to which are attached depending links 106 which are pivoted at their lower ends to levers-107. The levers 107 are connected at their forward ends to the standards shoulder 113.

the arms 115 outside the standards 4.

4 by pivots 108 and areprovidedat'their forward ends with treadles 109. l/Vhen the operator steps on either of the treadles 109, the forward ends of the levers 94 are rocked downwardly and the gear segments-93 are swung upwardly rotating the eccentrics 85 in a direction to lift the form cylinder. An operatorstanding upon either side of the ma: chine at the forward end thereof may instantly shift the form roller out of printing position during passage of the sheet between the cylinders by stepping on one of the treadles 109. l 1

In order to retain the form cylinder in its inoperative positioin means is provided for automatically latching the lever 107 in lowered position-.- This latching means con1- prises a horizontally swinging latch 110 which is connected by a vertical pivot 111 to a bracket 112 attached to the forward edge of the adjacent standard 4. Each latch memher 110 has an inwardly projecting latch shoulder 113which is engaged by lever 107 in its downward movement to swing the latch member 110 outwardly-to permit the lever to pass the shoulder, a leaf spring 114 being provided for pressing the latch member 110 inwardly sothat the cylinder 113 will spring into locking engagement with the lever 107 as soon as the lever has been moved below the The forward end of the latch member 110 lies alongside and above the treadle 109 so that when the operator, desires to return the printing cylinder to printing position, the latch may be released by exerting lateral pressure thereon with the foot engaging the treadle 109 with which the latch is engaged. r

' In connection with the means for disengaging the form-cylinder from the work, means is also provided for simultaneously shifting the inking mechanism to an inoperative position. The shifting means for the inking mechanism is operated by arms 115 fixed to the shaft 104 at the ends thereof. and linlis 116 extending upwardly and rearwardly from As best shown in Fig. 7, the rear ends of the links 116 are attached to short arms 117 which are fixed to the opposite ends of a transverse shaft 118 which is journaled at its ends in the brackets 39. Fixed to the shaft 118 adjacent the inner sides of the brackets 39 are eccentric discs 119 which serve as cams for shifting the carriage 38 rearwardly in opposition to the springs 43.

The eccentric discs or cams 119 engage with rollers 123 mounted on a transverse shaft 121 which is supported at its ends in eccentric bushings 122 which are journaled in bearing brackets-123 secured to the carriage 38, as shown in Fig. 8. hen the shaft 104 is rocked by the operation of either of the levers 107 to lift the form cylinder, the arms 115 swing forwardly and shift the links 116 rear-- wardly rocking the shaft118 in the direction to apply pressure to the rollers 120 engaged by the cams 119, shifting the carriage 38 rear-' wardly a sufficient distance to separate the inking roller from the form cylinder so that the inking of the form cylinder is dis continued;

Means is provided for shifting the inking mechanism independently of the form cylinder so that the inking of the form cylinder may be discontinued without moving the form cylinder from printing position. To this end, the shaft 121 has fixed thereto adjacent one end a hand lever 12 1 by means of which the shaft 121 may be turned to rotate the bushings 122 in the bearing brackets 123 to move the shaft 121 bodily with respect to the brackets 123. The engagement of the rollers 120 with the cams 119 holds the shaft 121 at a fixed distance from the shaft 118 and the adjustment of the bushing causes rear-- ward movement of the'bearing bracket 123 and of the carriage 38 to which it is attached.

If at any time during the passage of a sheet between the cylinders, it is found that the printing is not satisfactory, the form cylinder may be instantly shifted out of contact with the sheet by stepping on one of the treadles 109 at the front of the machine,

: whereupon the cylinder will be lifted to a position clear of the sheet and Will be retained in this position by the latches 110. At the same time, the inking mechanism will be shifted rearwardly by the actuation of the link 116 and cams 119, so that the inking of the cylinder will be automatically discontinued when the cylinder is moved out of printing position.

The thickness of the coating applied to the form and from the form to the sheet may be regulated at any time during the operation of the machine by adjusting the rollers 58 and 67 by means of the screws and 64. If, at any time, it is desired to disengage the inking mechanism without lifting the form cylinder, this may be done by actuating the hand lever 124:.

It will be apparent that the quick throwout devices for the form cylinder and inking mechanism enable the operator to discontinue the printing operation atrany time to prevent spoiling a sheet and to enable the proper adjustments to be made to provide for accurate registry between the sheet and form.

" tion and illustration and that various modifications of said apparatus and procedure can be made without departing from my invention as defined in the appended claims.

WVhat I claim is: '1. A printing press comprising supporting standards, bearing members 'mounted for vertical movement in sald standards,;a form cyllnder journaled in the bearing members,

eccentrics supporting said bearing members,

gears. fixed with respect to said eccentrics, actuating levers having gear segments engaging said gears, springs acting on said levers and tending to move the same in a direction to lower the'cylinder', and a latch for holding the levers in a position in which the cylinder is held in elevated position.

' 2. A printing press comprising supporting standards, bearing members -mounted for vertical movement in said standards, a form cylinder 'journaled in the bearing members, eccentrics supporting said bearing members, gears fixed with respect to said eccentrics, a rock shaft journaled in the standards forwardly of the cylinders, levers operated by therock shaft and having gear segments meshing with saidgears, a treadle on each standard operatively connected to=the rock shaft for actuating the same to lift the form cylinder,'and a latch engageable with one of the treadles to retain the form cylinder in an elevated position.

3. A printing press comprising supporting standards, bearing vmembers mounted for verticalmovement in said standards, a form cylinder journaled in the bearing members, eccentrics supporting said bearing members, gearsfixed with respectto said eccentricsJ a rock shaft journaled in the standards forwardly of the cylinders, leversoperated'by the rockshaft-andhaving gear segments meshing with said gears, a treadle on-each standard operatively connected to therock shaft for actuating thesame to lift the form cylinder, a latch engageable with one of the treadles to retain the form cylinder invan elevated position, ashiftable inking mechanism, and means connected to the rock shaft for shifting the inking mechanism away from and toward the form cylinder as the form cylinder is raised and lowered.

eh A printing press comprising a supporting frame, a form cylinder mounted for vertical movement in the frame, an inking mechanism having a carriage and mounted for movemention the frame into and out of operative position with respect, to the form cylinder, means for raising and lowering the, form cylinder, a rock shaft journaled inlthe frame adjacent the inking mechanism, means actuated by said raising and lowering means for operating said'rock shaft, and a cam on said rock shaft engageable :with the carriage for shifting the same.

5. A printing press comprising a support ing frame, aform cylinderv mounted for verlit).

tical movement in the frame, an inkingmech-= l anism having a carriage mounted for move? ment on the frame into, and out of operative position. with respect to the formcylinder, means for raising and lowering the form all) riage shifting device mounted on the frame,

cylinder, a rock shaft journaled in the frame adjacent the inking mechanism, means actuated by said raising and lowering. means for operating said rock shaft, a shaft having eccentric bushings mounted on the carriage, cams on said rock shaft, rollers on the carriage shaft bearing on said cams, means actuated by the said'raising and lowering means for actuating said rock shaft, and independentmeans for turning said eccentric bushings. i 6. A printing press comprising a supporting frame, a'compression cylinder journaled in the frame, a form cylinder, bearing members for the form cylinder mounted in the frame formovement toward and from the compression cylinder, eccentrics journaled in said frame and engaging said bearing members to actuate the same, gears fixed with respect to said eccentrics, actuating levers having gear segments engaging said gears, springs acting on said levers and tending to move the same in a direction'to move the bers for the form cylinders mounted in the frame for movement toward and from the compression cylinder, eccentrics journaled in said frame and engaging said bearing members to actuate the same, gears fixed with respect to said eccentrics, actuating levers having gear segments engaging said gears,

springs acting on said levers and tending to move the same in a direction to move the form cylinder toward the compression cylinder, a latch for holding the levers in a position in which the form cylinder is out of contact with the compression cylinder, a shiftahle inking mechanism, means for simultaneously actuating said levers, and means connected to said actuating means for shifting the inking mechanism away from the form cylinder as the form cylinder is moved awayfrom the compression cylinder. I

8. A printing press comprising a support ing frame, a compression cylinder, a form cylinder mounted for bodily movement in the frame toward and away from the compression cylinder, an inking mechanism, a carriage for the inking mechanism movable on the frame to carry the inking mechanism into and out of operative position with re spect to the form cylinder,-means for shifting the form cylinder into and out of engagement with the compression cylinder, a carmeans connecting the carriage shifting device with the cylinder shifting means to move the carriage away from the form cylinder as the form cylinder is moved away from the compression cylinder, and a manually operable carriage shifting'device mount- 

